Julia Freeland Fisher

What is social capital, why does it matter and how can building it help strengthen professional ties? In this engaging presentation, Director of Education at the Christensen Institute, Julia Freeland Fisher, presents accessible strategies for leveraging new and existing relationships to achieve professional goals. Audiences will learn how social capital gets built, how to create webs of support within existing networks, and how to reciprocate and strengthen ties even more. These simple, actionable steps empower participants to begin bolstering their networks immediately.

Historically, our education system has focused on what students do and don’t know, and ignored almost entirely who they know. The real opportunity gaps are not just knowledge and skill gaps; they are gaps in students’ networks and access to power, argues Julia Freeland Fisher. Who you know matters – a lot. Fisher believes that with the rise of technology, we have an unprecedented opportunity to build a system invested in expanding students’ networks by connecting them to industry experts, mentors and peers otherwise out of reach. With this stronger focus on helping students build social capital, schools and vendors together stand to address chronic challenges that have long plagued education. Fisher delves deep into this missing piece of the education reform conversation, with a particular focus on how technology will help spur the transformation. She explores the opportunities for and responsibilities of schools, vendors, entrepreneurs and investors.